'Idol' Auditions Take Place, Student Participants Reflect

On July 15, Mary Ours looked around at the packed sections of Heinz Field. People were cheering, smiling, laughing and singing, even though there was no football game at hand.

A few rows back from the field, Scotland Newton cheered with his friends under a giant American flag, awaiting his shot at fame.

Richelle Szypulski glanced up from the field at a round of cheers and applause, waving a golden piece of paper in her hand that qualified her for the next round.

"[That moment] was the biggest high I've ever experienced," Szypulski said in a phone interview on Friday.

"American Idol" auditions ended this past Thursday, September 29, when the judges from the show, Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler and host Ryan Seacrest were Downtown at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center for the final preliminary round before Hollywood.

However, the first two rounds this past July caused quite a buzz in Pittsburgh as the city hosted auditions for its first time. Approximately 12,000 people attended to take advantage of this opportunity and Point Park University students Ours, Newton and Szypulski were among them.

When the "American Idol" crew came to Pittsburgh for its 11th season, 8,000 people signed up in the first six hours of registration on July 13, according to TribLive News. Although people began lining up in the early hours of the morning, they did not let them into the stadium until 7 a.m.

"We got tickets [from the stadium] telling us where to sit," Newton, a senior acting major, said in a phone interview on Friday.

On the field, panels of two producers were set up in 10 different tents, Ours, a senior broadcasting student explained in a phone interview on Wednesday. Contestants were called down in groups of four and had to sing a song in front of the group and the panel. Ours sang "My All" by Mariah Carey, Newton sang the Broadway hit "Singin' in the Rain" and Szypulski sang Etta James' "Something's Got a Hold on Me."

Mary Ours' view as she waited for her numbe to be called.

If the panel wanted to hear another song, they would ask. If not, they would give the "American Idol" hopefuls a "yes" or "no." Since Pittsburgh was the only audition city on the East Coast, competition was tough.

Although Ours and Newton did not make it past the first round, they enjoyed the atmosphere and the experience.

Newton recalled that during the long hours waiting to audition, camera crews approached people and asked them to do "funny things." Some people were also singing with their guitars.

"They were really good. It was nice to see so many talented people," he said

Ours said there were some "outrageous people" dressed up in costumes, and they were picked to continue to the next round even if they had no natural singing ability.

"[There were] a lot of really talented people who should've made it through," she said.

On the other hand, Ours did meet some great, gifted people. She also remembers a group of people sitting outside Heinz Field playing guitar and singing.

"They were amazing," she said. "You're in a room with people who share the same interest as you. Nobody's going to judge you, because we're all being judged. Whoever makes it, makes it."

While Newton and Ours did not advance in the audition process, Szypulski did, much to her surprise.

"My stomach dropped when I realized I made it through the first round," she said.

After several hundred "American Idol" hopefuls were chosen from the first round, they had to fill out paperwork, sign contracts, get their pictures taken with an identification number and fill out a "fun facts" sheet, explaining "your story" said Szypulski, a junior mass communications and multimedia major.

The second round was held the following week in the David L. Lawrence Convention Center and the contestants were asked to learn and be ready to sing Katy Perry's hit "Firework," Pittsburgh's selected "city song," along with their prepared songs, according to Szypulski.

In the end, the producers told Szypulski she did not have a big enough voice for season 11. Since "American Idol" is a reality TV show, many assume they have a certain image they are looking for each season.

"If I had to guess, I'd say they're looking for young, bold talent this season," Szypulski said.

Although she had an enjoyable experience, it opened her eyes to the inner workings of the reality show. She said it was not strictly based on talent, and in the end, the show is trying to build a cast.

Although it would have been exciting to audition in front of Lopez, Jackson and Tyler, Szypulski can still cross one thing off her bucket list.

"It was an unforgettable experience and I'm glad I did it," she said.